Information for Family Members

We are providing a weekly update each Friday about our response. Our most recent update is here. Previous updates are at the bottom of this page.

We provide regularly updates about any COVID-19 cases affecting our communities here.

Our communities have begun to receive vaccination clinics through their pharmacy partners, with more scheduled throughout the next two months. LeadingAge has a page of COVID-19 vaccine information and resources on their website here. The Society for Post-Acute and Long Term Care Medicine has also created a Q & A document, which we have posted on our website here.

We encourage you to sign up to get vaccinated against COVID-19. One resource to help California residents is https://myturn.ca.gov/. We also urge everyone to get a flu shot this year, if at all possible. Please talk to your health care provider or visit https://vaccinefinder.org/ to find a location near you.

Covia’s COVID-19 response is being supported by a COVID-19 Task Force, drawn from all aspects of the organization. You can read about how they have worked together this past year at this blog post.

We developed guidelines on Celebrating Thanksgiving Safely, which can be easily applied to any holiday or other event. We strongly encourage you not to celebrate in person with those outside your immediate household, and to find creative ways to connect with your loved ones remotely.

Covia has set up an email inbox at C19info@covia.org where you can reach the COVID-19 Incident Command Center with your questions, comments, or concerns. Please contact us and we will respond as soon as we can.

We understand many families may be concerned about the safety of a senior living community during this pandemic. You may find this article from NextAvenue helpful in considering your options.

Here are Covia’s answers to the questions raised in the article:

What is your quarantine policy? Each community is under its county’s shelter-in-place order. Residents are asked to stay in their homes unless they are leaving for essential activities. By state mandate, visitors are not allowed. Currently, residents who exhibit any symptoms of concern are asked to quarantine for 72 hours. If symptoms are resolved, then they can leave their home for essential activities only. Residents who exhibit classic symptoms of Coronavirus (fever, cough, shortness of breath) will be quarantined and referred for testing for COVID-19. They must remain quarantined until their symptoms resolve or the results of the test return negative or (if they test positive) they are cleared by their health care provider as COVID-free.
How well are you reducing infection risk? Our Infection Preventionists have implemented our infection prevention and control plan, including preparing for the possible introduction of a COVID-19 positive resident in our communities.
Does the staff have access to adequate personal protective equipment to protect them from infection, and do they have enough of these supplies to “decontaminate” as needed? Yes. We are currently well supplied and are constantly working to ensure we will always have an adequate supply on hand. You can learn more about how Covia is working to acquire PPE for our communities by watching this video.
Is the staff trained on appropriate use of personal protective equipment? Yes. Our staff has received training on the personal protective equipment used in their role and will be provided with further training as needed.
Are you screening staff members for signs of illness, and providing them with education to reduce their exposure to COVID-19 from other health care facilities and the community? Yes. We have been screening staff members since March for fever and other signs of illness as well as screening caregivers and other external vendors.
What will happen to older adults who get the infection after moving out and then need medical care? After a resident has been discharged from our community, they should contact their health care provider. Acute hospitals and ICU’s have their admission criteria during this emergency and it’s the same regardless of the resident’s living location. A resident in an assisted living community has an attending physician and our nurses can provide the most up-to-date information when contacting the hospital.
What will the happen to ones who get the infection after moving out but then recover? If a resident moves out, acquires COVID-19, and then recovers, they will be welcome to return to their community.
What are my loved one’s care needs? If you are listed as the resident’s health care proxy or have power of attorney, our staff can share a summary of the resident’s care needs to help you determine whether you and your household can truly meet those needs at home.

Answers to more questions are on our FAQ page.

Depending upon the rate of infection in the surrounding county, communities can offer opportunities for in-person visits. Please check with the community if you want to make an in-person visit. In lieu of in-person visits, we encourage you to stay connected with loved ones by phone or online. Covia has also established screening guidelines for all staff, vendors, and delivery persons coming to our communities.

Please abide by the guidelines established by the community you intend to visit. These guidelines may vary, depending on the county in which the community is located.

Previous weekly updates